University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is once again coordinating the collaborative efforts of federal, state and local fire services, public safety agencies, community organizations and others to participate in Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month throughout May. This year's message is "Create Unity, Fire-Adapt Your Community!" to stress that when community members work together to prepare for wildfire, they can effectively reduce the wildfire threat.

"Residents of a fire-adapted community understand that they share their level of wildfire risk with their neighbors," said Ed Smith, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension natural resource specialist and co-manager of the Living With Fire educational program. "If one house is inadequately prepared, the risk to the whole neighborhood increases. A sense that 'we are all in this together' is prevalent."

Events are scheduled across the state to encourage residents to take action. Cooperative Extension's Living With Fire Program representatives will be participating in many of this year's events, including:

- May 1: Southern Nevada Wildland Fire Awareness Half Marathon and 5K Run, 8 a.m. - noon, at the Mt. Charleston Visitor Center, 2525 Kyle Canyon Road in Mt. Charleston.
- May 6: Ember House activity at the Eureka Department of Natural Resources' Firewise event, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m, at the Eureka Fire House, 10306 Main St. in Eureka.
- May 7: Ember House activity at the Northeastern Nevada Wildfire Prevention Group's Elko Wildfire Preparedness Day event, noon - 4 p.m., at Home Depot, 2955 Mountain City Hwy. in Elko.
- May 14: Ember House activity at the Washoe Valley Alliance's Third Annual Celebrate Washoe Valley community event, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Washoe Lake State Park, 4855 Eastlake Blvd. in Carson City.
- May 21: Junk The Junipers, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Nevada Division of Forestry location at 885 Eastlake Blvd. in Washoe Valley, and at the lot adjacent to the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District's Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Station, 11525 Red Rock Road in Silver Lake.
- May 29: Northern Nevada Wildland Fire Awareness Half Marathon and 5K Run, 8 a.m. - noon, at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St. in Reno.

Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month is a collaborative effort by local, state and federal firefighting agencies, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and many others. Major funding partners include the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Nevada Division of Forestry and Nevada State Fire Marshal Division.